Job Discussion Forums

[moneyoriented]

I desperately need your good advice. I'm sick and tired of being in debt, and really need to come up with some decent money fast in order to pay off my obligations.

So where in the world would I be able to make the most NET income? (i.e., difference between what I could earn with my current qualifications minus typical taxes & living expenses in that country)

I ask the question this way because I assume that the countries that have the highest salaries (gross) generally also have the highest taxes and costs of living, and therefor may not be the most suitable for me at this time, since all that really matters to me right now is how much I'll have at the end of each month to pay down my debts after paying local taxes and living expenses.

In other words, if in country A I can make $4,000/month, but have only $500 left after paying taxes and living expenses, whereas in country B I can make only $2,000/month but housing is paid for and there is no local income tax, so that I'd have $1,000 left at the end of each month to pay my debts with, I'd want to work in country B. I understand there is no precise answer here; I'm looking for some general advice.

I'm a 43 year old American guy with two undergraduate degrees (Asian Studies and Business). I taught English on a casual basis for one year while studying in Japan in college. (My homestay mother put together two classes for me, of about 6 students each, each of which I taught for 1 hour per week. These were high school and college students, and I basically just used a British ESL workbook and tape set and went through one lesson per week.) I don't have any other teaching experience.

I also don't have any formal TES/FL qualifications (masters degree, certificates, etc.) I'm willing to obtain one or more of these, but I don't currently have the money to do so, unless some sort of financial aid or loans were available (or in exchange for a commitment to teach for them afterwards, etc). I have no idea which programs are the most respected/useful, and which have the best cost/benefit ratio.

There are so many choices to make in this field, in terms of qualifications and in terms of where to teach - it's pretty bewildering. So I'd really appreciate any advice any of you might have for me. What would you do if you were in my shoes and needed to make as much money as possible as quickly as possible?

*Many thanks in advance*

[wulfrun]

from my relatively inexperienced perspective, maybe it'd be an idea to do a quick certificate (CELTA and Trinity TESOL the two best i know) and then work.

korea, taiwan, the middle east, ... ? you can certainly work in china easily, but won't have the same earning potential.

hopefully these old hands can give you something a bit more authoritative...

of course, this is likely to be a very common question, so using the search function and replying to old threads which deal with this issue might be more productive.

[parrothead]

I'm sorry I don't have more time to give you a lengthy answer. However, given your qualifications, your lack of teaching experience, and your desire to save up money as quickly as possible I would say:

1. Korea
2. Korea
3. Japan or maybe Taiwan

I'm sure others may disagree about Japan or Taiwan, but I think a lot of people would agree that instructors in Korea can frequently sock away $1000-1500 USD every month. Accommodation is often paid for, and there is occaisionally a bonus and/or flight reimbursement.

You can save up a similar amount in Japan if you are responsible, but it might take 2 or 3 months to get rolling. The start-up costs are higher.

[Glenski]

[Sadebugo]

Without a doubt, the most money you can earn in the private EFL industry is in Saudi Arabia. The better jobs pay between 4-5,000 American/month plus free housing and other major benefits. In my last job there with Raytheon, I basically only had to pay for the food I ate. Also, Saudi does not have any taxes. But, without qualifications, it's very unlikely you could get one of those jobs.

I have also worked in Korea, Japan, and Thailand and, hands down, Korea is the best for saving especially for people just entering EFL. They normally provide free housing and although there are taxes, they're pretty low relative to the West. I used to save anywhere for 1,000-1,500/month and would often top that off with privates which were readily available. The money is okay in Japan but many more expenses and housing is usually not provided for free although it may be subsidized. Forget about Thailand, it's really difficult just to survive on the average teacher's salary.

Hope this helped a little.

Sadebugo
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/

[naturegirl321]

KOrea
The Middle East
Taiwan
Hong Kong

[JZer]

[spiral78]

JZer - that's true, but remember the OP wants to pay off debt. Inexperienced and unqualified teachers aren't likely to earn large piles of money in TEFL anywhere - which I think was Glenski's point.

[JZer]

[mandalayroad]

The answer you're looking for is... Korea.

[Marcoregano]

I agree with the Korea suggestion - it's the best for the cost of living/earning potential/lack of quals and experience ratio. Also, contrary to what someone says you can do jobs on the side there - everyone is happy turning a blind eye. In Seoul there's also an outside chance of landing a better paid job (outside ESL) with a multinational once you've been there a while - I know people who've done it.

[JZer]

[Marcoregano]

OK, perhaps I should have said people are generally happy turning a blind eye. When I was there my private teaching was actually set up by my Korean colleagues, and many other expat teachers I knew enjoyed similar assistance. Like anywhere else really, use your common sense and intuition with such matters. If you sense that your employer would not be supportive of your doing outside work, don't do it.

[moneyoriented]

Thanks guys for all the advice.

So it sounds like Korea is my best bet, but that my potential savings max out at around $1,000 - $1,500/month (because Korea doesn't allow for moonlighting and I don't want to do anything illegal, even if the chances of getting caught are slim. I don't want to invite blackmail or unnecessary interaction with police - I'd rather sleep well at night). Then the next question is where in Korea (geographically and school-wise) can I net the most money? Is the EPIK program the best option? Or else which schools should I be considering?

Regarding Japan, I was making about $80/hour teaching those classes, but only had 2.5 hours per week (that's right - one class met for an hour a week and the other met for an hour and a half each week - don't ask me why). Each student in the classes paid about $13/hour, and I had about 6 students in each class. This was back in the bubble years, 1987-88, and the exchange rate was different - I forget what it was. (Why did you think I was working for 'chicken feed', glenski?) And what is an ALT dispatch job, and what are the disadvantages (and advantages for that matter)? What's your best advice for me regarding where to work in Japan (city and organization), how to moonlight, and how to live as frugally as possible?

Finally, suppose I wanted to work in Saudi (because I want the really big money) - what would be the best, quickest and most cost-effective way to get the qualifications necessary? (and does it have to be Saudi? Couldn't I make similar money in another oil sheikhdom - Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait.... Brunei even?) Is there a certificate or masters program in one of these countries where I could get acclimated and make some useful contacts while earning the qualifications? Is this the best way, or would a degree from a school in the US or UK be more prestigious?

Also, would I need a regular job, or is there some way to just find a bunch of private students in one of these countries? Wouldn't that also pay more?

Thanks again for your help!

[Justin Trullinger]

While I've never been there, from what I've heard Korea is your best bet. There may be bigger saving opportunities in the Middle East for some, but generally not for newbies. (When you pay the kind of money they do in Saudi, you can generally demand a higher level of qualifications.)

But to put a word in your ear- be careful. I don't hold with those who say that you need a lot of money saved to work overseas, but neither is it necessarily a good idea to head over without savings, quals, experience, or much of anything behind you.

What if your first job turns out to be not to your liking? Or to be a scam? Or if you aren't good at it and your hours get cut? Or if a family member back home gets seriously ill while you're in your first semester? Or...many "ors" are possible here.

Down to your online handle, most everything about your posts indicates that this is about money for you. And there aren't many fields in which a newbie, unqualified, can save loads of money. If you're concerned that potential savings "max out at around $1000- $1500/month" in Korea, you should know that, compared to most countries, this is extremely high. For a newbie, I doubt very much that you'll beat it anywhere.

I don't mean to be negative here- but I'm made nervous when I hear that someone is turning to teaching as a solution to financial problems. Because, frankly, it doesn't usually work that way in the short term. A lot of us have a reasonable level of financial security in this field- but like in most fields, it didn't come immediately.


Best,
Justn